Arguments for and against abortion

FOR legal abortion

AGAINST legal abortion

1. THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE…

It’s her body, and it should be her choice. Abortion is never an easy decision. However, it should be a decision made by women themselves and not by (overwhelmingly male) lawmakers. Women know their own situation better than any judge or politician, and they are best-placed to make the difficult choice. The state should never force a woman to carry a fetus to term against her wishes.

1. THE RIGHT TO LIFE…

When does life begin? There are those who are against abortion at any point after conception and those who are against the termination of a pregnancy after the fetus has attained viability, but no matter how you put it, we are talking about a human life. In the end, the lives of the woman and her unborn child are equal, so the right to life of the unborn baby must be taken into account. Terminating a pregnancy results in taking away the baby’s right to life.

2. BANNING ABORTION IS CONDEMNING WOMEN TO DIE

Every 11 minutes, a woman somewhere in the world dies from complications related to unsafe abortion. Making abortion illegal does not reduce the number of terminations taking place. Instead, it often drives women into the hands of black market abortionists, who perform illegal and unsafe operations.

2. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS

An unwanted pregnancy does not necessarily mean being forced to raise a child that you are unable to (or do not want to) support. There are always other options, such as adoption or foster care. In many developed countries, social services can place the child with suitable foster parents to give the parents time to think about whether they want to keep the infant.

3. LEGALISING ABORTION DOES NOT MEAN MORE ABORTIONS

Several countries that have legalised abortion (such as Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands) actually have a lower rate of abortion than many countries in which the practice is illegal. This is because countries that ban abortion often also ban or heavily restrict access to contraceptives and sex education. If abortion is one option alongside a set of family planning measures available to women (and men), then it can be safe, legal, and rare.

3. LEGALISING ABORTION IS IMMORAL

Many people object to abortion along religious grounds. Life is sacred, and (according to this argument) begins at conception. Free access to abortion may encourage people to view it as a form of contraception. There is also the possibility of “selective abortion”, where parents terminate pregnancies if scans show the fetus is the “wrong” gender, etc. The best way to prevent such unethical abuse is to restrict access to abortion.